The expansion of the digital economy has created a new socioeconomic paradigm in which technological platforms mediate much of economic and social interaction. While this phenomenon brings benefits, it has also opened the door to electronic fraud, deceptive advertising, and the misuse of personal data—negatively impacting consumer protection and market fairness.
In response to these challenges, digital forensics faces unprecedented difficulties. The decentralized and global nature of online platforms complicates the geographic localization of servers, identification of responsible parties, and collection of digital evidence with probative value. Additionally, the widespread use of smart contracts, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and digital payment systems introduces new types of legal disputes that require solid technical responses.
Digital forensic laboratories must adapt to this evolving reality by developing capabilities to analyze executable blockchain-based contracts, monitor real-time data flows, and identify deceptive commercial practices in digital environments. At the same time, there is a pressing need for an agile legal framework that includes platform accountability, cross-border consumer protection, and ethical oversight of data usage in the digital economy.
A clear example is the case of financial applications that offer loans under opaque conditions, failing to disclose actual interest rates or hidden clauses. In such cases, digital forensics can play a key role by analyzing transaction logs, reviewing service terms, and auditing user interfaces to determine whether consumers were deliberately misled or failed to give informed consent.
Another critical issue is the use of personal data for microtargeted marketing. Collecting habits, preferences, and psychological behaviors to deliver personalized ads may cross into manipulative territory. Forensic work in these cases involves verifying how data was collected, whether valid consent was obtained, and if data was shared with third parties without authorization.
Regulation of digital platforms must be accompanied by mechanisms of digital oversight, where forensic laboratories act as auxiliary judicial entities capable of auditing algorithms, detecting discriminatory biases, and evaluating compliance with transparency and non-discrimination principles.
In conclusion, digital forensics must evolve toward a consumer-centric approach, actively contributing to the protection of fundamental rights in virtual spaces. Only through an integrated, multidisciplinary strategy can we build a secure, transparent, and fair digital ecosystem.
